Trained as a psychiatric nurse, and was employed as a staff nurse and ward manager in acute psychiatry and dementia care. Taught social care and mental health at Bridgend College, and delivered the college counselling service as well as teaching on a range of counselling courses. Coinciding with his move into freelance consultancy, creativity for wellbeing has enabled him to participate and document some remarkable changes to individuals and groups. The current emphasis on wellbeing for individuals in Health and Social Care also needs to meet the well-being needs of staff. Rhys is a qualified teacher and registered Social Worker and Counsellor.
Rhys remains as a registered counsellor having recently retired as a Social Worker, Nurse and Teacher. Rhys worked for many years in Health and Social Care Education across Wales and started working with Katja Stiller and Nick Clements in 2005 developing the ideas and practice that led to Person Centred Creativity. An arts based intervention that has been taught to Artists and Health and Social Care workers across South Wales.